Sewing-machine.



A. H. DE VOE.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18. 1913.

Patented May 22, 1917. I 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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IN VEN T0 A. H. DE VOE. SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1a. 1913.

Patented May 22, 1917.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALI BERT H. DE VOE, 0F WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO THE SINGER MANU EACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1917.

Application filed October 18, 1913. Serial No. 795,841.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. DE Von, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVestfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings This invention has for its object to provide a sewing machine adapted more particularly for glove sewing and similar uses, which is adapted to run at high speeds with a minimum amount of wear, vibration and noise, and which shall be convenient of manipulation for difierent kinds of work.

In its preferred embodiment, the machine comprises a reciprocating needle-bar carrying a needle and provided with a transverse pin slidingly fitted within the boss of a strap embracing an actuating eccentric upon the rotary shaft, in conjunction with a vibratory and endwise movable looper-bar carrying a looper at one end and pivotally. connected at the opposite end with a rock ing element fulcrumed upona swinging arm and carrying studs upon'opposite sides of its fulcrum-point engaging actuating cams of difierent form from which the rocking element derives both" rocking and bodily reciprocating movements'upon its supporting fulcrum. Intermediate its ends the looper-bar is slidingly mounted in a tilting bearing having a fulcrum in one arm of a bellcrank-lever fulcrumed beneath the needle-bar and having a lateral arm connected by a pitman with a swinging lever mounted upon a fixed fulcrum and'carryj ing a stud engaged by an actuating cam upon said rotary shaft. i

Heretofore it'h as been common in this class of machine to change the length of the stitches by replacing one or more of the gears of the feeding mechanism with others, at the expense of a loss of time and inconvenience on the part of the operator.v

According to the present improvement, in its preferredform,the feed-wheel shaft carries a plurality of ratchet-wheels of different size with which a series of pawls upon a uniformly moving operating lever are adapted to be selectively thrown into engagement, whereby the feed-wheel may be given step-by-step rotary movements at the desired speed. The pawl-carrying lever is preferably connected with an actuating rocker by means of a pitman connected with the rocker in such manner as to constitute in conjunction therewith a toggle for imparting to the pawl-carrying lever rapid operative movements with dwells to provide suflicient intervals for the proper handling of the thread in forming the stitches.

The needle-bar carries a thread-nipper operated by mechanism connected with said rocker of the feeding mechanism for effecting the nipping of the thread at the end" of each thrust of the needle to insure the proper formation of a needle-thread loop for seizure by the looper.

In the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the machine taken from the opposite side from Fig. 1, and 4 is a sectional top plan view of the same. Fig. 5 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a portion of the feed-pawl carrying lever. Fig. 6 is a side view and Fig. 7 an end view of the pawl-controlling device. Fig. 8 is a front end viewof the needle-bar clamp-block with the thread-nipper, and Fig. 9 a side view of the same with a portion of the needle-bar.

As represented in the drawings, the frame comprises the hollow base 1 from which rises the standard 2 provided with the transverse main or driving shaftB and the cross-shaft 4: disposed above and parallel with the same. Adjustably secured upon the main-shaft 3 is the gear-wheel 5 provided in one face with the cam groove 6 and in the opposite facewith the canrgroove 7 and meshing with the gear-wheelS similarly secured adjustably by means of'the set-screw 8 upon the shaft land having the cam-groove 9 in the face corresponding with that of the gear 5 containing the cam-groove 6.

Mounted within the standard 2 upon the cross-pin 10 is the hub 11 of a swinging arm 12 having journaled in the boss 13 in its upper end the fulcrum-pin 1i extending lat erally from a cruciform rocking element having upwardly extending and depending arms 15 and 16 carrying respectively the roller-studs 17 and 18 which enter the camintermediategrooves 6 and 9respectively. The said rocking element is provided with lateral arms 19 and 20 carrying screw-studs 21 entering -slots 22 in a plate 23 which is provided at its forward end with the laterally offset extension 24 provided with the bearing boss 25.

J ournaled in the bearing boss 25 is the pivotal pin 26 formed with the forked head 27 in which is pivotally secured by means of the pin 28 the apertured extremity of the split socket 29 in which is secured by means of the clamp-screws 30 the rearward end of the looperbar 31 having secured upon its forward end the looper-socket 32 secured thereon by means of the set-screw and having fastened therein by means of the setscrew 34 the shank 35 of the looper which is represented as formed with the eyepointed blade 36.

The looper-bar is slidingly journaled intermediate its ends in the tilting bearing sleeve 37 which is pivotally sustained by means of the screw-pin 38 between the spaced ears 39 of a block forming the head of a rocking pin 40. The pin 40 is journaled within the bearing boss 41 of one arm 42 of a rocker formed with a second angularly disposed arm 43 and fulcrumed by means of the stud-screw 44 upon a lateral ear 45 eX- tending from the collar 46 secured by means of the cross-pin 47 and set-screw 48 upon the reduced end portion 49 of a plug 50 which is fitted within the apertured boss 51 of the standard 2.

Journaled upon the shaft 4 is the apertured boss 52 of a swinging lever 53 carrying a roller-stud 54 entering the cam-groove 7 of the gear-wheel 5 and having a laterally offset extension 55 carrying the ball-stud 56. The ball-stud 56 is embraced by a strap 57 at one end of a short pitman 58 having at its opposite end the strap 59 which embraces a ballstud 60 carried by the rocker-arm 43.

As will be observed by reference to Fig 1, the looper-actuating cam-grooves 6 and 9 are of different shapes and are so formed that the entering studs 17 and 18 of the rocking element are caused to perform differentially timed reciprocatory movements, whereby the rocking element is given not only rocking movements upon its supporting fulcrum-stud 14, but receives bodily movements lengthwise of the looper-bar which, through the pivotal connection 25 therewith, communicate to the adjacent end of the looper-bar endwise reciprocating and vibratory movements in a vertical direction. By its described connections with the cam element 5, the rocker 42 43 communicates to the bearing sleeve 37 and hence to the looperbar movements crosswise of its length or endwise of the looper-blade 36.

1 The looper is thus given by means of actuating cams which are without harsh or abrupt shoulders, the requisite six-motioned travel required in the class of overseaming mechanism to which the present improvement more particularly relates. By the described connections and mountings of the various parts, it is evident that ample provision is made for adjustment of the various looper positions and timing of its several movements.

The looper cooperates in the production of overseam stitches with the eye-pointed needle 61 which is secured by means of the clamp-screw 62 within the split clamp-block 63 sustained by the ofi'set arm 64 extending from the boss 65 which is secured upon the forward end of the reciprocating needlebar 66 journaled in bushings 67 of the bearing bosses 68 within the standard The needlebar has secured thereon intermediate its bearings the split collar 69 forming the transverse head of the depending slide-pin 7 0 fitted slidingly within the tangential socket 71 of a sleeve or strap 72 embracing the needle-actuating eccentric 73 fixed upon the main-shaft 3.

From the means just described, the needle derives its reciprocation from actuating mechanism of which the component parts are pivotally or slidinglyconnected together with ample intermediate bearing surfaces, while avoiding the harsh lateral thrust and consequent accelerated crank movements common to crank-and-pitman needle-actuating means heretofore in use.

Journaled within suitable bearing members 74 and 75 of the base and standard, respectively, is the vertical feed-wheel shaft 76 having secured upon its upper end by means of the set-screw 77 the hub 78 of the horizontally arranged feed-wheel 79 the position of which is adapted to be accurately determined relatively to the needle-path by means of the bushing 80 of the upper bearing which is secured for endwise adjustment by means of the set-screw 81. Secured upon the feed-wheel shaft 7 6 below the bearing 74by means of the set-screw 82 is the tubular hub 83 of the feed ratchet-wheel 84. Mounted upon the ratchet-wheel hub 83 is a series of additional ratchet-wheels 85, 86, 87, 88 and 89, of progressively smaller diameters; these wheels being secured together and to the primary ratchet-wheel 84 by means of the clamp-screws 90 passing through apertures in each of the latter ZLHQ tapped into the former. These ratchetwheels, so secured together, constitute a single plural-stepped member whose component parts are made separately only for convenience of construction.

Journaled within the bearing boss 91 of the standard and the bracket-plate 92 of the base 1 are the reduced upper and lower portions 93 and 94 of a fulcrum-pin having its body portion 95 arranged at one side or the several feed ratchet-wheels and provided with a spirally arranged series of concaved recesses 96. Journaled upon the portion 95 of the stud-pin is the block 97 apertnred at one end to fit the same and having secured thereto by means of the screws 98 the flange 99 of a lateral arm 100 provided at its opposite end with the ball-stud 101.

The block 97 is provided with a series of sockets extending radially from the fullcrum-pin, each at the level of one of the feed ratchet-wheels, and each of said sockets has fitted therein a pawl-plug 102 between the inner end of which and the bottom of the socket is interposed a spring 103 by means of which the toothed outer end of the plug is pressed normally outward foroperative engagement with its respective feed ratchetwheel. The block 97 is formed with a series of slots 97 extending around one side and the opposite ends and communicating with the fulcrum-pin bearing aperture therein, and within each one of said slots is introduced a pawl-retractor 10-1 having one end portion 105 bent at right angles with its length and inserted within a transverse aperture in the outer end portion of its respective pawl-plug, while the opposite end portion 106 is formed with a semi-circular bend to enable its extremity to bear upon the farther side of the fulcrum-pin within register with one of the recesses 96 or that part of the circumference in the plane thereof. The pawl-retractors are confined within their respective slots in the block 97 by means of a plate 107 secured in position by the screws 108. The fulcrum-pin 93 thus constitutes a controlling member rotatable upon a fixed axis and adapted to selectively engage any one of the series of pawl-plugs or clutch-dogs 102 with its respective clutchelement or ratchet-wheel 85, 86, 87 88 or 89 while the remaining pawl-plugs are maintained disengaged from their respective clutch-elements.

The fulcrumpin 93 has secured to its upper end by means of the set-screw 109 the knob 110 provided in its lower face with a series of cavities 111 corresponding in numher and in circular position with the recesses 96 of the fulcrum-pin-and' adapted to be entered by the rounded point of'the detentpin 112 journaled within an aperture of the bearing boss 91 and pressed upwardly by means of the spring 113 interposed between the enlarged upper portion of the detent-pin and a shoulder of said aperture. per face of the knob 110 is provided with a circular series of numbers ranging in practice from 80 to 14-0 and each disposed above one of the cavities 110 and the recesses 96 of the fulcrum-pin. These index numbers in dicate the numbers of teeth of the feed ratchet-wheels engaged each by its respective pawl-plug corresponding with and controlled in position by one of the recesses 96.

The up-c The ball-stud 101 of the arm 100 is embraced by a strap 114 of a bent link 115 provided at its opposite end with a strap 116 embracing the ball-stud 117 carried by one arm 118 of an angle-lever having its hub 119 journaled upon the cross-pin 120 of the frame and provided with second arm carrying the ball-stud 122. The angle-lever arm 118 carries a stud-screw 123 intermediate its supporting pin120 and the ball-stud 117, and this stud-screw 123 is embraced by the aperture'd lower extremity of the eccentric-rod 121 having at its opposite end the strap 125 embracing the feed-actuating eccentric 126 fixed upon the main-shaft From the connections just described it will be readily understood that the block 97 constitutes a reciprocatory member carrying a series of clutch-dogs or pawl-plugs 102 which, by means of the eccentric-rod 124- and eccentric 126, receives the same amplitude of movement for each of the clutch-elements or ratchet-Wheels 85, 86, 87, 88 and 89, the length of stitches varying according to the number of teeth formed upon the ratchetwheels which are of uniform pitch on all of the wheels.

The ball-stud 117 is so positioned upon the arm 118 relatively to the supporting pin 120 and the ball-stud 101 of the feedlever arm 100 that in the operative movement of the rock-lever under the action of the eccentric 126 the stud 117 is carried alternately into and out of alinement with the members 120 and 101, whereby the link 115 is caused to operate as one element of a toggle device which communicates to the lever-arm 100 quick movements toward and from one extreme position with an interval of rest or dwell in the other extreme position. In the arrangement shown in the drawings, the interval of rest or dwell oc curs at the completion of each feeding movement. 0

As'the extremity of the bent portion 106 of each but one of the pawl-retractors 10 1 normally rests upon the periphery of the controlling part 95 of the fulcrum-pin in all positions of the latter, any desired one of the pawl-plugs 102 may be brought into operative relation with its respective feed ratchet-wheel by turning the knob to bring its corresponding index number into a position nearest the operator or into register with a suitable hand or pointer. In the operation of the machine, the rocking of the arm 100 causes a corresponding vibratory movement of the pawl-plugs, that in engagement with one of the ratchet-wheels communicating the usual stepby-step rotary movements to the feed-wheel shaft to produce stitch lengths inversely proportionate to the index numbers upon the knob 110. r mere partial rotation of the knob 110 will serve to retract the pawl-plug previously in operation and permit some other pawlplug to assume operative relation with its respective feed ratchet-wheel for a change of the length of feeding movements imparted to the work.

The needle-clamp block has depending from the forward end of its lower face the thread-guiding lip 127 between which and the bottom of the block is the thread-guiding slit 128. Adjacent the lip 127 beneath the needle-clamp block is the nipper-plate 129 upon the lower end of a vertical slide pin 130 fitted within an aperture in the block 63 and provided with a transverse aperture entered by the pin 131 at the extremity of alateral arm 132 of an anglelever having a backwardly extending arm 133 carrying the roller-stud 134 and a depending arm 135 between which and the bottom of a socket in the block 63 is dis posed a spring 136. This angle-lever has a hub 137 which is journaled upon the screwstud 138 tapped in the lug 63 of the block 63.

The roller-stud 134 is adapted for engagement by the overhanging offset outer end portion 139 of a nipper-controlling pin 140 secured within the forward arm 141 of a rock-lever having its hub 142 journaled upon the rocking pin 143 and having an oppositely extending arm 144. The arm 144 has pivotally secured therein one end of the screw-pin 145 passing through an aperture in an arm 146 whose hub 147 is fixed upon the pin 143. The screw-pin 145 is provided with the nut 148 between which and the top of the arm 146 is interposed the spring 149 by means of which the rock-lever 141 144 is connected yieldingly with the rocking pin 143.

The pin 143 has fixed thereon the hub 150 of a lateral arm 151 carrying at its outer end the ball-stud 152 which is embraced by a strap 153 at one end of a pitman 154 having at its opposite end the strap 155 embracing the ball-stud 122 of the feed-actuating rock-lever.

Secured in an apertured boss 156 at the top of the standard 2 is a standing guidepin 157 formed with a transverse thread-slit extending lengthwise thereof and surrounded by the check spring 158 having at its upper end the sliding thimble 159 for engagement with the thread. In threading the machine, the upper thread is led from the source of supply through the tension device 160 and the threading slit of the pin 157 above the thimble 159 and thence downwardly through the guide-loop 161 above and at one side of the needle-bar from which it is passed over the needle-clamp supporting arm 64 and through the thread-slit 128 to the eye of the needle. In the operation of the feeding mechanism, the nipper-controlling pin is actuated through the described connections to engage the roller-stud 134 just as the needle completes its thrust through the material, thereby closing the nipper-plate upon the needle-thread.

By means of this nipper action, the checksity of action of the nipper. The action of the nipper may obviously be so timed, if preferred, as to engage the needle-thread initially in advance of the completion of the needle thrust so as to assist in the stitchsetting action.

Opposed to the serrated periphery of the feed-wheel 79 is the correspondingly serrated edge of the presser-wheel 162 which is j our naled upon the stud-pin 163 having an enlargement 164 at its lower end secured in position by means of the set-screw 165 with in a vertical socket 166 of the upwardly extending supporting arm 167 having its hub 168 mounted upon the supporting fulcrumpin 169 sustained by and crosswise of the base 1.

The arm 167 is provided upon one side with a boss 167 in which is formed the upwardly inclined screw-socket 170 within which is fitted the screw-plug 171 having in its inner end a recess for reception of the rounded lower end of a thrust-pin 172 passing through an aperture of the arm 167 and having its opposite end directed to the bottom of the part 164 of the stud-pin 163. The Presser-wheel is confined in position upon its supporting stud-pin by means of the washer 173 and the screw 174 passing through the same and tapped into the studpin. The vertical position of the presserwheel may be varied to correspond with that of the feed-wheel 79 by loosening the setscrew 165 and turning the screwdug 171 to adjust the position of the stud-pin supporting end of the thrust-pin 172 and then retightening the set-screw 165.

Secured to one side of the arm 167 adja cent the rim of the presser-wheel by means of the screws 175 passing through elongated apertures therein is the shank 176 of a needle-guiding arm 177 formed with the needle-receiving groove 177. This needle guiding arm may obviously be adjusted vertically to bring its groove into register with the needle-path by loosening the fastening screws 175.

Secured upon one projecting portion of the hub 168 of the presser-wheel arm 167 by means of the clamping screw 178 is the split hub 179 at one end of a laterally extending bent arm 180 carrying intermediate its ends the post 181and formed in its upper face intermediate the same and the outer end of the arm with the transverse notch 182. Mounted upon the arm 180 is a lever 183 having one end forked to embrace the post 181 and formed near the same upon its lower face with a transverse rib 18 lentering the notch 182 affording a fulcrum for said lever. A spring 185 surrounding the post 181 is interposed between the forked 'end'portion of the lever 183 and a washer 186 sustained by the thrust nut 187 and the lock-nut 188 applied tothethreaded upper portion of the post 181. I

Mounted upon the rock-shaft 189 disposed above the outer portion ofthe lever 183 is an eccentric stop-member 190 having its hub 1.91 fixed thereon by means of the set-screw 192. Clamped upon the rock-shaft 189by means of the clamp-screw 193 is the split friction-collar 194 locked against rotation, adjacent which is secured upon the shaft the hub of the finger-lever 195 by 'means of which the rock-shattt may be turned to present different portions of the periphery of the eccentric 190 for engagement by the spring-pressed lever 183. Y Loosely mounted upon the rock-shaft 189 is the hub 196 of a rock-lever having a downwardly and rearwardly inclined arm 197 carrying a lateral roller-stud l98extending beneath the outer end of the lever 180 and a forwardly extending arm 199 having an apertured boss 200 in which is secured the end of the presser-retracting chain 201. By drawing down the chain by a treadle or other suitable connection, the rock-lever is turned to raise the arm180 in opposition to the pressure spring 185 for shifting the'arm 167 and retraction'of the presser-wheel 162' from the feed-wheel 79. for insertion or removal of the work. In practice the stop eccentric 190 is set as represented inthe drawings and the tension of the spring 185 is adjusted manipulation of the nuts 187 and 188 to produce the minimum pressure of the presser-wheel upon the work, and this may be incidentally increased as desired within ordinary limits by the'mere shifting of the finger-lever 195 to turn'the eccentric.

While I have shown and described herein the preferred embodiment of the present improvements, it is" evident that thevarious parts thereof may be widely varied in construction and arrangement, and certain of them may be used without the others, within the scope of the invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1."In a sewing machine, the combination with a rotary feed-wheel, a plurality of clutch-elements operatively connected-therewith, a plurality of clutch-dogsadapted for operative engagement with. i said" clutch ele= 7 ments, a reciprocatory member carrying said clutch-dogs, actuating means for said clutch-dogs, connections between said actuating means and said member for imparting to the latter a constant amplitude of movement for all of said clutch-elements, and means forselectively establishing operative engagement of any one of said clutchdogs with its respective clutch-element while the others are maintained disengaged therefrom.

In a sewing machine,the combination with a rotary feedwvlieel, of a plurality of clutch-elements operatively connected therewith, a plurality of clutch-dogs adapted for operative engagement with said clutchelements, a reciprocatory member carrying said clutch-dogs, actuating means for said clutchdogs, connections between said actuating means and said member for imparting to the latter a constant amplitude of movement for all of said clutch-elements, and means rotatable upon a fixed axis for maintaining a portion of said clutch-dogs disengaged from their respective clutch-elements while another of said clutch-dogs is permitted to assume operative engagement with its clutch-element.

3. In a sewing machine, the combination with a rotary feed-wheeL of a plurality of ratchet-wheels of different sizes operatively connected therewith, an operating lever carrying a plurality of pawls each adapted for engagement with its respective ratchetwheel, actuating means for said lever, and means for maintaining a portion of said pawls disengaged from their respective ratchet-wheels while another remains in op-' erative relation with its ratchetqvheel.

1. In a sewing machine, the combination with a rotary feed-wheel, of a plurality of ratchet-wheels of different sizes operatively connected therewith, an operating lever carryin'g a plurality of pawls each adapted for engagement with its respective ratchetwheel, actuating means for said lever, and means sustained independently ofsaid lever for maintaining a portion of said pawls disengaged from their respective ratchet-wheels while another remains in operative relation with its ratchet-wheel.

5. In a sewing machine, the combination with a rotary feed-wheel, of a plurality of ratchet-wheels of different sizes operatively connected therewith, an operating lever carrying a plurality of pawls each adapted for engagement with its respective ratchetwheel, a fulcrum-pin for said lever provided with pawl-controlling means, independent connections between each of said pawls and said fulcrum-pin, and actuating means for said lever.

6. Ina sewing machine, the combination with arotary feed-wheel, of a plurality of ratchetwheels of difierent sizes operatively connected therewith, an operating levercarrying a plurality of pawls each adapted for engagement with its respective ratchetwheel, a fulcrum-pin for said lever disposed eccentrically to the axis of movement of said ratchet-wheels and provided with pawlcontrolling means, independent connections between each of said pawls and said fulcrumpin, and actuating means for said lever.

7 In a sewing machine, the combination with a rotary feed-wheel, of a plurality of ratchet-wheels of different sizes operatively connected therewith, a fulcrum-pin disposed at one side of said ratchet-wheels and provided with a series of spirally arranged peripheral recesses each in the plane of one of said wheels and with turning means, a lever journaled upon said fulcrum-pin and provided with a series of radial apertures in alinement with said fulcrum-pin and each directed toward one of said ratchet-wheels, a spring-pressed ratchet-plug inserted in each of said apertures and adapted for engagement with its respective ratchet-wheel, operative connections betwen said ratchetplugs and the periphery of said fulcrumpin, and actuating means for said lever.

8. In a sewing machine, the combination with a rotary feed-wheel, of a plurality of ratchet-wheels of different sizes operatively connected therewith, an operating lever carrying a plurality of pawls each adapted for engagement with its respective ratchetwheel, a fulcrum-pin for said lever provided with a series of circularly arranged pawlcontrolling means, independent connections between each of said pawls and said fulcrum-pin, turning means for said fulcrumpin, a spring-pressed detent for insuring the register of each controlling portion of said fulcrum-pin with its respective connection to one of said pawls, and actuating means for said lever.

9. In a sewing machine, the combination with a rotary shaft, an eccentric feed-actuating element mounted thereon, and a feed wheel, of a clutch element'operatively connected with said feed-wheel, a vibratory lever, a clutch-dog carried by said lever and adapted for operative engagement with said clutch element, a rocker mounted upon a fixed fulcrum, a pitman connection between said rocker and said actuating element, and a link connection between said lever and a pointof said rocker having a path of movement of which one extremity is in substantial alinement with the fulcrum of said rocker and the point of connection of the link with said lever.

10. In a sewing machine, the combination with a feed-wheel and actuating means therefor, of a presser-wheel, a swinging carrier therefor, an arm extending from said carrier, an adjustable stop, a yielding member carried by said arm and normally maintained in contact with said stop, a presserspring interposed between said arm and said member, and means for moving said arm in opposition to said spring for retracting the presser-wheel from the feedwheel.

11. In a sewing machine, the combination with a feed-wheel and actuating means therefor, of a presser-wheel, a swinging carrier therefor, an arm extending from said carrier, an adjustable stop, a yielding member carried by said arm and normally maintained in contact with said stop, a presserspring interposed between said arm and said member, adjusting means for said presserspring independent of said adjustable stop, and means for moving said arm in opposition to said spring for retracting the presserwheel from the feed-wheel.

12. In a sewing machine, the combination with a feed-wheel and actuating means therefor, of a presser-wheel, a swinging carrier therefor, an arm extending fromsaid carrier, an adjustable stop, a lever pivotally mounted upon said arm and adapted for engagement with said adjustable stop, a tension spring interposed between said arm and lever and adapted to maintain the latter in engagement with said stop, and means for moving said arm in opposition to said spring for retracting the presser-wheel from the feed-wheel.

18. In a sewing machine, in combination, a reciprocating needle-bar carrying a needle, a feed element, thread nipping means carried by said needle-bar and comprising a nipper-lever having an arm extending lengthwise of the needle-bar, a rock-lever mounted upon a fixed fulcrum and having an arm adapted for engagement with said arm of the nipper-lever, and common actuating means for said feeding element and rock-lever and comprising a plural armed rocker.

14:. In a sewing machine, in combination, an actuating shaft, a reciprocating needlebar carrying a needle, thread nipping means carried by said needle-bar and comprising a nipper-lever, a feed-wheel, a clutch element operatively connected with said feed-wheel, a clutch-dog adapted to engage said clutch element,'a vibratory lever carrying said clutchdog, a rocker mounted upon a fixed fulcrum, operative connections between said rocker and the vibratory lever and the nipper-lever, and a connection between the actuating shaft and said rocker whereby the latter is operated to impart efi'ective movements alternately to the feed-wheel and to the nipper-lever.

15. In a sewing machine, in combination, a reciprocating needle-bar carrying the needle, a feed-wheel, thread nipping means carried by said needle-bar and comprising a nipper-lever, a rocker, an operative connection between said rocker and the nipperlever and means whereby the intensity of action of said nipper-lever may be varied, operative connections between the rocker and said feed-wheel, and an operative connection between said actuating shaft and the rocker.

16. In a sewing machine, the combination with a rotary feed-wheel, of a plurality of clutch-wheels of different sizes operatively connected therewith, and a plurality of selectively operated reciprocating devices for 1 operating said clutch wheels.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, 1n the presence Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

